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Beyond Lyme disease's symptoms lies the truth

May, 2002

Twenty five years after its discovery, Lyme disease, a tick-borne illness that can cause fever, headache, joint pain and neurological problems, remains steeped in controversy even as research hits record levels.

But after thousands of research studies and years of debate, physicians still disagree on whether Lyme disease is easily cured with a short course of antibiotics, or whether long-term infection can cause debilitating disease.

The number of Lyme cases in the United States has reached record levels, according to the latest figures from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta. The agency reported 17,730 cases in 2000, an 8 percent increase from the year before. In New Jersey, the numbers jumped dramatically -- from 1,719 in 1999 to 2,459 in 2000. The CDC says Lyme cases are underreported.